


The (K)nightmare

by NikaylaSarae



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: DragonWitch!Roman, Fire/Magma, Hunting/Stalking, Nightmares, Villain?Roman, Vomiting, dream!au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:02:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27981987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NikaylaSarae/pseuds/NikaylaSarae
Summary: They say that the brain uses Dreams to help understand and solve problems one faces in the waking world.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 26





	The (K)nightmare

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a Dream I had as a kid. 
> 
> Cross-posted to my Tumblr account @stillebesat.
> 
> December Drabbles Day 9

Fire spewed from Roman’s mouth, coating the surrounding trees in red and orange magma that dripped from the smoldering branches like melted cheese. He grinned wide, holding out his arms, the muscles in his back contracting as large scaled wings unfurled from his back, flapping to stoke the magma into a raging inferno. 

_“_ ** _Run. Boy!_ ** **”** He threw back his head in a bellowing laugh. _“_ ** _Flee if you can!_ ** **”** He moved forward through the forest, his gigantic clawed feet shaking the earth like the T-Rex in Jurassic Park with each step.

He was so much bigger than T-Rex though. Towering over the magmafied trees, he knew he had the upperhand. If only---

Movement to his right. 

Roman turned in time to see a tiny lilac figure duck down in the tall grass that had yet to catch fire. 

He grinned, running his tongue over his sharp teeth, his spiked tail lashing in anticipation as he stalked towards his prey. _“_ ** _You can’t escape the Dragon Witch!”_ **He proclaimed, raising his foot and stomping down on the patch of grass.

A squeak.

The boy rolled from his hiding place, barely escaping from being squashed. He stumbled to his feet, ragged breathing like music to Roman’s ears as he took off in another run, disappearing among the trees melting in lava. 

_At least it was more of a challenge this time._

Roman broke into a run, chasing after the boy, his nostrils flaring wide to catch the human’s scent as the figure somehow managed to stay ahead of him no matter how fast he moved.

_“_ ** _Run. Run. Run. As fast as you can._ ** **”** He sing-songed, pausing at the edge of a small stream no wider than three feet. A shallow puddle to his ginormous size. 

Yet.

The scent of his prey had vanished. The boy, gone from sight. 

_Now this was different._

He crouched, tail lashing as he peered at the ground surrounding the stream. Unfortunately it was too dry to leave prints, the trail temporarily lost. 

_Clever prey._

Roman huffed, smoke trailing from his nostrils as he gingerly stepped over the water, careful to not get himself wet. The stream was too small to be of real concern in dampening his abilities in casting magma, but still. Better to be careful.

_Strange things lurked in the waters when the boy took a more proactive role._

Moving to all fours, though it wasn’t the most comfortable of positions for him to take as a Dragon Witch since he still had a mostly human appearance, Roman stalked through the forest, on alert for any signs of his prey. 

At least crouching like this gave him a better view of the underbrush where his prey was most likely to lurk. Roman flicked out his forked tongue, tasting the air as he furled his wings tight against his sides to keep them from catching on the maples and oaks that were growing quickly around him despite the magma coating almost every surface. 

_Come on! Come on! Where are you?!_

He growled, kneading the ground with his claws as he felt the soothing warmth of his fire rising in his throat. Roman lifted his head and spat large balls of magma at the newly grown trees. 

Maybe if he hit the right spot he’d scare his prey out of hiding. **“** ** _You can’t hide forever, my little shrinking violet._ ** **”** He called out, his voice echoing through the forest as he shouldered his way through a grove of burning trees, sending them crashing like dominoes to the ground. **“** ** _Come out. Come ou---Ah!_ ** _”_

Roman smirked and stood upright as he straddled the stream, staring down its length to the figure half-submerged in its waters and pressed up against the muddy bank. **“** ** _One, Two, Three. Look who can’t hide--”_ ** With a single flap of his wings he jumped into the air, landing with a huge splash in front of the boy, clawed fingers slashing down to tear into his prey. **“** ** _FROM ME!”_ **He crowed, the thrill of success rushing through him like a bolt of lightning as he lifted the struggling figure from the water. 

He flashed his teeth as the boy screamed, violet eyes going wide with panic as he thrashed in Roman’s grip. 

“ ** _GOTCHA! Now prepare for your demi--HEY!”_ **

In the blink of an eye, the boy vanished, leaving him holding nothing but air. 

_So close._

Roman shrieked, wings spreading wide as he whirled, heart sinking as the molten flames around him froze. **“** ** _NO!”_ ** He tore at the ground, the dirt peeling up like shredded paper as the trees began to fade away. **“** ** _NO NO NO!! COME BACK! I WASN’T!!_ ** _”_ He cut off taking a deep breath as the world around him dissolved into black nothingness. 

_I wasn’t done._

Roman flinched as the familiar weight of reality settled around him like a heavy wool blanket.

_He’d been so close. So freaking close to finally getting some answers._

His fingers curled, digging into the fabric of his pillowcase as he groaned, eyes opening as he lifted his head from the sodden fabric, running a hand through sweat-dampened hair, feeling as he always did to make sure the horns hadn’t followed him out of the Dream. 

_Again._

That had been difficult enough to hide the first time and he didn’t want a repeat--Roman snapped his mouth shut at the sudden burning that rose in his throat and shoved himself off his bed. 

He tumbled to the floor on all fours, heaving like a cat with a hairball as he grabbed desperately for the tungsten bowl he kept nearby for occasions like this.

_No. No fire! NO FIRE!! NO--_

Roman gagged, a golf ball sized bit of magma bursting from his lips to fall with a loud plop into the bowl where it pooled like a half-melted marshmallow in the center.

He shuddered, tongue crying out in agony from the heat as he pushed the bowl away.

_There went his ability to taste things for the day if not the week._

“Dragon Witch.” He muttered, the taste of burnt ash fading as he rolled over onto his back, throwing an arm over his eyes. “Why a _Dragon_ Witch? That doesn’t make a lick of sense.”

And he was used to things not making sense. He was _used_ to being pulled into other people’s Dreams again and again to help them solve their subconscious problems. 

To be their _HERO_. 

To _Save_ the Day. 

He wasn't supposed to be their freaking _Villain!_ _  
_

Roman growled, flinching at the _dragon-like_ quality it still had as he pushed to his feet to get ready for another day of filming. 

“One of these nights.” He whispered, gathering a set of clothes to change into, shoving the bowl under his bed with his foot as he glared at his pillow since he couldn’t exactly glare at the violet eyed stranger when he wasn’t in the Dream. “You’ll actually let me help you instead of fleeing into the waking world like a freaking coward.”


End file.
